A review by richardrbecker
A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A Rage in Harlem is a classic and still remarkably relevant. It's a story about Harlem, cons, and delusional love — one part hard-boiled and one part crime comedy.
Our unassuming "square" and ill-fated protagonist, Jackson, is drawn into intrigue when his girlfriend Imabelle introduces him to a man who can turn $10 bills into $100 bills. When the stove explodes during the process, everyone flees the scene except Jackson, who is blackmailed by a police officer to come up with some cash or face an arrest.
Since all of his money supposedly blew up in the cooking of Franklins, Jackson decides to borrow some cash from his boss and, later, the Hersh they use for their funeral business. At a loss for what to do, Jackson eventually enlists his twin brother who masquerades as a nun, collecting charity to be used as a means to feed his appreciation for drugs.
As the two attempts to unravel the scam — including the theft of Imabelle's so-called chest of gold ore, Himes introduces readers to various hoodlums, religious leaders, madams, and other characters. What makes the book so brilliantly addictive is Himes writes with a wit that is underpinned by anger over the grim, relentless poverty, and desperation that epitomized Harlem and some other Black communities at the time, making it an excellent primer for social injustice as well as an entertaining and brisk read.
Our unassuming "square" and ill-fated protagonist, Jackson, is drawn into intrigue when his girlfriend Imabelle introduces him to a man who can turn $10 bills into $100 bills. When the stove explodes during the process, everyone flees the scene except Jackson, who is blackmailed by a police officer to come up with some cash or face an arrest.
Since all of his money supposedly blew up in the cooking of Franklins, Jackson decides to borrow some cash from his boss and, later, the Hersh they use for their funeral business. At a loss for what to do, Jackson eventually enlists his twin brother who masquerades as a nun, collecting charity to be used as a means to feed his appreciation for drugs.
As the two attempts to unravel the scam — including the theft of Imabelle's so-called chest of gold ore, Himes introduces readers to various hoodlums, religious leaders, madams, and other characters. What makes the book so brilliantly addictive is Himes writes with a wit that is underpinned by anger over the grim, relentless poverty, and desperation that epitomized Harlem and some other Black communities at the time, making it an excellent primer for social injustice as well as an entertaining and brisk read.